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With a painful recession, frozen credit and massive unemployment drawing consumers away from pricey brands, some automakers are abandoning their most flamboyant brands. Mercedes is reportedly killing Maybach, GM is axing Hummer, and Ford may be getting ready to put the Lincoln Town Car to rest.

Ford Motor and General Motors, the two largest U.S. auto makers, reported higher sales in January, as consumers steered cleared of the showrooms of the companies' nearest Japanese competitor, Toyota Motor, which is mired in massive recall involving millions of vehicles.